Louisiana Covernor Signs Abortion Ban

AL Abortion Site Surrenders Operating License 

US Justices Accept Second Abortion Case

KS Abortion Site Sells Out, Holds Yard Sale

Abortion Site in OH Operates Without License 

 Wisconsin Rt to Life Says Pro-Abortion Groups Lied

Professor: Children Born After Abortion was Banned Had Better Lives, Education 

Induced Abortion and Preterm Birth

'Ancel-Papiernik' Abstract on Preterm Birth Risk

Abortion Shunners Get Insurance Discount

Baby left for dead is all grown up - She graduated high school a few miles from site of her rescue

ALABAMA ABORTION SITE SURRENDERS LICENSE AFTER WOMAN DELIVERS DEAD FULL-TERM BABY. Summit Medical Center, under investigation for allegations of severe misconduct voluntarily surrendered its license 13June. Allegations vs. Summit: a nurse practitioner gave an ultrasound to a woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy concluding she was only 6 weeks pregnant. The practitioner then gave the woman mifeprex (RU 486), intended for use only within the first 9 weeks of pregnancy, despite the woman’s dangerously high blood pressure.

Summit is under investigation by the AL Board of Medical Examiners and could face criminal charges. The board has temporarily suspended the licenses of Dr. Deborah Lyn Levich & nurse practitioner Janet F. Onthank King, and banned them from working together. The board has accused Dr. Levich of allowing nurse practitioner King to prescribe drugs and perform services she was not qualified to carry out. Dr. Levich has been summoned to a board hearing on July 18.

A lawsuit was brought against Summit in June of 2004, after a woman died of a perforated uterus. The doctor who performed the abortion, also named in the suit, had his license to practice medicine suspended in the AL & MS in 2004. Abortionist Malachy DeHenre was accused of “gross malpractice” by the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama after 3 women required complete hysterectomies to control severe haemorrhaging following abortions, & Leigh Ann Stephens Alford died. Summit has abortion sites left in CT, GA, MI and NV, & in Montgomery, AL. [15June 06 LifeSiteNews.com] 

JUSTICES ACCEPT 2ND ABORTION CASE.  The Supreme Court has accepted a second case testing the constitutionality of a federal law banning a specific, controversial late-term abortion procedure critics call "partial birth" abortion. The justices agreed to decide the contentious issue this fall. The new appeal comes from the Bush administration, which lost after a lawsuit filed by the reproductive rights group Planned Parenthood. A federal appeals court based in San Francisco threw out the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Act of 2003 as unconstitutional because it did not provide a health exception to pregnant women facing a medical emergency. A similar ruling from a federal appeals court based in St. Louis reached similar conclusions.

The outcome of these latest challenges could turn on the legal weight given past rulings on the "health exception." In states where such exceptions are allowed, the criteria include the possibility of severe blood loss, damage to vital organs or loss of fertility. Court briefs noted pregnant women having the procedure most often have their health threatened by cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure or risk of stroke. Doctors would be given the discretion to recommend when the late-term procedure should be performed. The federal law has never gone into effect, pending the outcome of more than three years of legal appeals. Using an earlier legal standard, the court, divided 5-4, concluded the state law was an "undue burden" on women because it lacked the critical health exception. Abortion rights groups object to the term "partial birth," and even "late-term abortion." Doctors call the procedure an intact dilation and extraction, or intact D and E. [AP, 19June; June 20, 2006 http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/06/19/scotus.abortion/index.html; B. Mears, CNN]

WI RIGHT TO LIFE SAYS PRO-ABORTION GROUPS LIED.  Wisconsin Right to Life (WRL) says pro-abortion organizations there have lied about the status of a pro-life law on the books that would prohibit abortions if Roe v. Wade is ever overturned.

The two abortion advocacy groups, NARAL & Planned Parenthood, have been promoting the falsehood for months, claiming that women would be prosecuted if Roe is reversed, saying the abortion ban would be used to put women in jail; but the state law actually targets abortion practitioners. On 19June06, NARAL's Wisconsin affiliate put out a press release claiming that the abortion ban on the books "could be used to threaten women with up to 3-1/2 years in prison and fines up to $10,000."

"What these disingenuous pro-abortion organizations fail to tell the public is that Wisconsin has more than one law dealing with abortion on our lawbooks," Susan Armacost, WRL's legislative director, explained in a statement. The amended abortion ban (s. 940.04) that was in effect in WI  when the Supreme Court handed down Roe, in 1973, would come back into effect.

"In 1985, a law, s. 940.13, was enacted that removed any and all penalties to women that were contained in s. 940.04," Armacost said. "We should know because Wisconsin Right to Life strongly supported and worked for the enactment of that law. "The truth is that when s.940.04 comes back into effect, no women will be penalized in any way for obtaining an abortion," Armacost added. "Wisconsin Right to Life demands that NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin issue an immediate retraction of these blatant falsehoods," she said.

Armacost said that Wisconsin Right to Life views women who have obtained abortions to be victims of the profit-oriented abortion industry, not criminals. Women who are considering an abortion are frequently either not told about or given incorrect information about their baby's development, abortion's risks and alternatives to abortions. She indicated numerous women who have had abortions, regret their decisions and now support the pro-life view work with her organization.
"These are our sisters in the pro-life movement who work tirelessly to prevent other women and their unborn babies from facing the tragedy of abortion," said Armacost. "They are not criminals."
Wisconsin Right to Life - http://www.wrtl.org [Ertelt, LifeNews.com June 19, 2006 Madison, WI]

LA GOV SIGNS ABORTION BAN. Gov Kathleen Blanco (D) signed into law on 17June a new statewide ban on abortions. The law prohibits all abortions except those necessary to save the mother's life and would not take effect until the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The measure would also become effective if a federal constitutional amendment is adopted that allows states to ban abortions. Blanco cited “overwhelming” bipartisan support for the measure in the state legislature: House 85-17, & rejected rape/incest exceptions by 67-36; Senate 31-6, & defeated exceptions 20-17. This abortion ban is different from the South Dakota ban that seeks to prohibit abortions now and is considered an attack on Roe. Dorinda Bordlee [long-time pro-life LA atty, VP, Bioethics Defense Fund] said other states should follow LA's lead to include a post-Roe activation clause, sometimes called a trigger clause. Under this SB 33, the Human Life Protection Act, an abortion practitioner who does an abortion would be fined from $10-100,000 and receive from 1-10 years in prison. The measure stipulates that women undergoing abortions would not be charged with any crime, and it excludes the prohibition of abortifacient drugs.  [Gov Blanco - http://www.gov.state.la.us; LA State Legislature - http://legis.state.la.us; Bioethics Defense Fund - http://www.BDFund.org; AP; 2June06 LifeSiteNews.com; Lifenews.com, 19June06]

WICHITA ABORTION MILL SELLS OUT, HOLDS YARD SALE. After over 20 years, Central Women’s Services in Wichita, KS, has sold its business to an undisclosed buyer. The building they have occupied for two decades has also sold. The defunct abortion mill held a yard sale of business supplies, office equipment, and furniture on Friday, May 26, 2006. An Operation Rescue staffer attended the sale.

“There really wasn’t much there,” said Sullenger. “It was very dingy inside, and not particularly clean. Most of the items for sale had seen better days, for sure. It must have been a very depressing experience to have had an abortion at such a dumpy office. As I toured the building, I felt a real sense of loss for the babies that died there.”

Central Women’s Services was suffering financial difficulties in recent months, and was behind on their rent at the facility. It was open for abortions only about two days per month. For several years, abortionist Sherman Zaremski of Kansas City drove three hours to Wichita to kill babies for Central, but since January 31, 2006, the abortionist has been former Planned Parenthood employee Ronald Yeomans.

The abortion mill was the site of a Pastor’s Rescue during the Summer of Mercy in 1991, where over 80 pastors were arrested during a clinic blockade there. Central also made news in June, 2005, when Operation Rescue discovered that the bodies of babies aborted there were “processed” and dumped at a landfill in the Kansas City area. Operation Rescue had purchased the empty lot behind the abortion mill in 2003, and often parked a trailer with a billboard-sized banner that warned women of possible abortion complications. The banner was routinely vandalized. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “We pray that Wichita’s better known abortuary, George Tiller’s Women’s Health Care Services, will be the next to close.”  [Wichita, KS - May 26, 2006 http://www.operationrescue.org]

DAYTON WOMENS' CENTER OPERATES WITHOUT LICENSE. The clinic in Kettering, Ohio where partial birth abortions occur at the hands of Dr. Martin Haskell lost a round in its on going battle with the Ohio Department of Health over the issuance of a license to operate as an ambulatory surgical facility (ASF). On February 17 the Sixth Circuit Court ruled that a previous permanent injunction against an order from the ODH to cease and desist was vacated, with a caveat favoring Dr. Haskell and the Women’s Medial Professional Corporation, which operates the Women’s Medical Center of Kettering.

Judge Julie Smith Gibbons’ ruling read, in part “we affirm the district court with respect to its conclusion that WMPC’s procedural due process rights were violated, but vacate the grant of a permanent injunction and remand the case for a hearing on the proposed denial of the license application.”

Under Ohio law an ASF must meet the licensing requirements or apply for a waiver or variance of the requirement. The (ODH) director can grant a waiver only if “the director determines that the strict application of the license requirement would cause an undue hardship to the [health care facility] and that granting the waiver would not jeopardize the health and safety of any patient.”

In 2000 the Woman’s Medical Center applied for a license, but could not meet the requirements when both Grandview and Miami Valley hospitals refused to sign a patient transfer agreement with Dr. Haskell’s abortion clinic. The Women’s clinic then applied for a wavier from the licensing requirement, stating that Miami Valley Hospital Emergency and Trauma Center would receive patients from the Women’s Center with an “emergency medical condition.”  In addition, Haskell said he had verbal agreements with a “five member obstetrics and gynecology group to provide back-up care.” According to court documents, Haskell would not name the group, at their request.

With the injunction overturned, Haskell is again operating his abortion on Stroop Road illegally. Attorney General Jim Petro’s office said “this is a good ruling” and will “keep fighting” but Christi Dodson, Director of Dayton Right to Life, is concerned the one caveat Judge Gibbons offered might give Haskell the window he’s been looking for. Initially, when he was refused a license, Haskell was not afforded the right to a hearing.  Dodson is concerned the threat of a prolonged hearing might dissuade Dr. Baird from pursuing anything other then issuing a waiver.

“Pray and pray hard,” said Dodson when asked about a February 20 alert she sent out to pro-lifers. In the alert, called “Project Abortion Free Zone” Dodson applauded the ruling, reminding supporters “…Dr. Haskell…testified in this case that he ends 3000 innocent lives every year at his facility; and he believes his center does not need to meet the requirements of licensing for surgical facilities….”

To help shore up the efforts of the Ohio Department of Health, Dodson is directing Dayton Right to Life to focus its attention and volunteer and financial recourses “on this one issue right now. We are looking for volunteer researchers and financial assistance,” said Dodson.

According to Dodson, and confirmed by the court documents, close to 1000 letters were sent to the ODH in 2000, to close the clinic and enforce the law against operating without a license. Dodson added, “Looking back, Dayton Right to Life and Ohio Right to Life greatly influenced Dr. Baird (in the decision to order the clinic closed). We may soon encourage pro-lifers to begin the writing campaign again, but sees this “small window of opportunity “to do more than write letters at this time.

Dodson concluded, “I have to know in my mind that we have done everything we possibly can do and do it right. I don’t want to give him any option.”  (Printed in the Christian Citizen, May edition)
 
 
 
 
Project: Abortion Free Zone
There is a very important development in our ongoing efforts to make Montgomery County an “Abortion Free Zone.”  Through this opportunity we would see the closing of the last remaining abortion facility in our county!

The Women’s Med Center, owned and operated by Dr. Martin Haskell has remained open since 1983 despite countless attempts to end the “Killing in Kettering.”  During this time, Haskell and his associates have performed an estimated 3500 abortions per year for a total of approximately 80,500 deaths.  This location is well known nationally as being the facility where Haskell perfected his late term abortion procedure commonly called Partial Birth Abortion.

Through your persistent care, concern, and support, we have come to what will hopefully be a pivotal time in history: The Ohio Department of Health has recently informed us that they have notified the Women’s Med Center that they have 30 days to meet licensing requirements or their license to stay open will be revoked.  On May 5, Haskell applied for a hearing with the Ohio Department of Health to plead his case.  We feel this process will proceed quickly, and we need to be ready for this hearing and his closing!

According to a recent decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals this abortion clinic must, as a surgical facility, meet the requirement of a written transfer agreement from an area hospital—it is the law!  In the past, Martin Haskell has been unable to obtain this agreement from any Dayton hospital.  Up to this point he has successfully argued in court that he did not need to meet this requirement for licensure but this recent court decision puts an end to that strategy.  [C. Dodson, Executive Director]
 
 
H.B. 228, Abortion Ban Hearing, June 13, 2006
Columbus—hundreds came to the hearing yesterday in either support of an abortion ban, or to protest the ban. Two panels of five persons for each side were permitted to testify in front of the Health Committee at the Statehouse.  The pro-life testimonies were filled with medical and scientific experts showing proof of life as well as women sharing their heartfelt stories about their abortions and the pain they suffered before, during, and after.  The pro-abortion panels consisted of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and National Abortion Rights Activist League (NARAL). Here is some of what our opposition testified to yesterday:

Planned Parenthood of Ohio’s Executive Director, Gary Dougherty, testified that he believes that conception begins when the embryo implants in the uterine wall, not when the egg is fertilized by the sperm.  (This strategy of changing when conception begins (against science) gears up this movement to promote their new bill, introduced last month, “Ohio Prevention First,” in which Emergency Contraceptives (Morning After Pill or Plan B), are promoted.  Ironically, these pills can be an abortifacient by not allowing an embryo to implant on the uterine wall.) 
He was also asked if any abortions should be illegal, he said “no.”  In a later question, he was asked if life should be protected, he said “yes.”
Kellie Copeland, the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio evaded answering the question, “Is it life?”  She was asked four times, and refused to directly answer the question.  She also stated abortion was not death.
When asked about partial birth abortion, the panel denied its existence, even after Committee Chair Rep. White mentioned Dr. Martin Haskell’s testimony on his procedure before the U.S. Congress.
When asked if the abortion issue could stand on medical and scientific information alone, the answer from NARAL and PPFA was “No.”  They felt that banning abortion infringed on their religious freedoms and was unconstitutional.
After the panels, there were 60 more witnesses who hoped to testify.  Time allowed for only one more, and Denise Mackura from Ohio Right to Life was called to testify.  Rep. White asked several questions about the drafting of the bill itself.  Mackura confirmed that the bill as introduced would completely repeal or eliminate the effect of several current provisions of Ohio law that restrict abortion, which we do not want.  Ohio Right to Life is currently working with the sponsor of this bill to create a “sub bill” that would correct this problem.  She also stated, “Women deserve better than abortion,” “abortion is a public health issue,” “abortion does not solve poverty issues,” “at least one person dies during an abortion,” and &ldq